Carrying rack



July 28, 1959 J. l. SWANSON 2,

7 v CARRYING'RACK Filed Nov. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. (fa/$1 f. dam/won ZQMFW /ITTORNEZ.

United. States Patent PC CARRYING RACK John I. Swanson, Albion, Mich., assignor to Union Steel Products Company, Albion, Mich.

Application November 16, 1955, Serial No. 547,059 6 Claims. (Cl. 104-135) This invention relates to improvements in racks which are well adapted for use on conveyors and for relatively fragile products such, for example, as bakery products.

The main objects of this invention are: 3

First, to provide a rack which is well adapted for prod ucts such, for example, as bakery products.

Second, to provide a structure which may be embodiedin racks of considerable size and at the same time one which is strong and rigid and relatively light in weight.

shown to illustrate structural features of the racks pre venting one rack over-riding another.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View partially sec-.

tioned on a line corresponding to line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a second form or embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevational view.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the connection for the auxiliary base members to a cross bar partially sectioned on a line corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated is well adapted for the handling of bakery products and is proportioned to that end. However, it should be understand that the racks embodying my invention are adapted for a wide variety of uses and may be proportioned to such uses.

The embodiment illustrated comprises outer and intermediate longitudinal base bars designated by the numetals 1 and 2; the outer base bars 1 having upturned ends 3 connected by the end cross members 4 and desirably formed integrally therewith as is illustrated.

The intermediate longitudinal bars 2 have upturned ends 5 secured to the undersides of the end members 4 as shown at 6 in Fig. 4. The side members 7 are spaced above the plane of and laterally outward relative to the outer base bars 1, see Fig. 1, and have downwardly offset Crossbars 8 disposed upon the longitudinal base bars at the inner sides of the upturned ends thereof and fixedly secured thereto as indicated at 9, Fig. 4. The cross pieces 8 are desirably formed integrally with the side members.

The intermediate crossbars 10 are laterally spaced and are disposed upon and fixedly secured to the longitudinal base bars. These crossbars have upturned ends 11 which are disposed on the undersides of the side bars and fixedly a 2,896,549 Patented July 28, 1959 secured thereto as by welds in the same manner as the upturned ends 5 are secured to the end members 4.

Grid bars are secured upon the longitudinal bars in laterally spaced relation, the grid bars 12 being of wire stock and secured by the welds 13. Preferably certain grid bars 14 are of fiat strip stock and disposed upon and secured to the longitudinal bars at 15.

In the embodiment illustrated there are two of these flat grid bars adjacent each end of the rack, the purpose of the ilat grid bars is to prevent the grid bars of the rack engaging between the rollers 16 of a roller conveyor, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The flat grid bars are of such combined width that they lap or bridge adjacent rollers.

The conveyor illustrated is of the interlapping roller type which is quite extensively used. However, it will be understood that the trays are desirable when on other types of conveyors and may be slid upon and slidably supported by shelves or by rails of supporting racks.

The rectangular combined guard and reinforcing rail member 17 embraces and is secured to the upstanding portions of the longitudinal end base bars. These rails are fixedly secured in downwardly spaced relation relative to the end members and side members and coact therewith to provide outwardly facing recesses 13 with which the rail of an adjacent rack may engage, as is illustrated in Fig. 3, when the racks are translated in abutting relation as is commonly the case when the racks are pushed along on a surface and quite commonly when carried on a conveyor. This prevents one rack from over-riding the adjacent rack and thus prevents the contents of the racks from damage.

While the racks of my invention are especially desirable, and the rack illustrate-d is especially designed for handling of bakery products, the racks are desirably for use for handling many products. The stock used other than the flat strips 14 is wire or light rod and the various parts are desirably secured together by welding. All the joints are not illustrated as it will be understood that it is a common practice to connect various wire parts of racks, baskets and the like by welding.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the rack structure is in general the same as that of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the side portions however being of less height than those of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 (compare Fig. 6 with Fig. 3), the end portions of the rack however are desirably of substantially the same height in both embodiments so that they may be used interchangeably on a conveyor without piling.

In this embodiment of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the guard rails 19, corresponding generally to the guard rails 17, have upwardly offset end portions 20 which are spaced from the end cross pieces 4 to enact therewith to provide outwardly facing recesses substantially the same as those described for the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. In the embodiment of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive relatively wide auxiliary longitudinal bars 22 are provided. These longitudinal bars 22 are preferably arranged in pairs, as is illustrated, disposed below and fixedly secured to the undersides of the cross bars and desirably also to the grid bars, by spot welding as is shown at 213 in Fig. 8.

These auxiliary base members are formed of generally flat strip stock and disposed horizontally fiatwise and they extend between the outer cross bars 8 at each end of the rack. These auxiliary bars 22 in the embodiment illustrated are positioned between the outer longitudinal run ner bars 1 and the adjacent intermediate runner bars 2. For some conveyors this embodiment is preferred over that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive inasmuch as this arrangement assures that the auxiliary bars will be in contact with a plurality of the conveyor rollers such as illustrated in Fig. 3. However, both embodiments of my invention are practical and desirable.

I have not attempted to illustrate various adaptations of my invention as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patentis:

1. A rack Comprising laterally spaced outer and intermediate longitudinal base bars constituting runners and having upwardly projecting outwardly inclined ends, and cross members connecting said ends, side members disposed in a plane above said longitudinal base bars and having downwardly offset base crossbars integral there with disposed at the inner sides of the upturned ends of said longitudinal base-bars, intermediate crossbars disposed in laterally spaced relation upon the longitudinal base bars and having upturned ends fixedly secured to said side members, grid bars disposed upon said longitudinal base bars between said crossbars and fixedly secured to said longitudinal base bars, and guard rails disposed in embracing relation to the said upwardly projecting ends of said longitudinal bars and said crossbars and fixedly secured thereto in downwardly spaced relation to said side and end members, said guard rails coacting with the said side and ,end members to provide recesses with which the guard rail of a similar rack may engage thereby preventing the over-riding of adjacent racks as they are translated in thrust abutting relation.

2. A rack comprising laterally spaced longitudinal base bars constituting runners and having upwardly projecting ends,,end cross members connecting said ends, side members disposed in a plane above said longitudinal base bars and having downwardly offset base crossbars secured to said base bars at the inner sides of the upwardly projecting ends thereof, grid bars mounted upon said longitudinal base bars, and rails disposed in embracing relation to the upturned ends of said longitudinal base bars and fixedly secured thereto in downwardly spaced relation to said side andend members, said rails coacting With the said side and end members to provide recesses with whichthe rail of a similar rack may engage thereby preventing the over-riding of adjacent racks as they are translated in thrust abutting relation.

3. A rack comprising'longitudinal base bars constituting runners and having upwardly projecting ends, end cross members connecting said ends, side members disposed in a plane above said longitudinal base bars and having downwardly offset base crossbars integral there with secured to said base bars at the inner sides of their upwardly projecting ends, intermediate cross bars disposed in laterally spaced relation upon the longitudinal bars and having upturnedends fixedly secured to said side'members, grid bars disposed upon-said longitudinal base bars between said cross bars and fixedly secured to said longitudinal base bars, and bumper rails disposed in embracing relation to the upturned ends of said longi* tudinal and cross bars and fixedly secured thereto.

4. A rack comprising laterally spaced outer and intermediate longitudinal base bars constituting runner members and having upwardly projecting outwardly inclined endmembers, end .cross members connecting the upper ends of said runner member end members, top side members disposed in vertically and outwardly spaced relation to the outer of said runner members and having downwardly offset base cross bars disposed upon and fixedly secured to said runner members at the inner side of and adjacent to said upturned ends thereof, intermediate cross bars disposed in laterally spaced relation upon and fixedly connected to said runner members and having upturned ends fixedly secured to said top side members, grid bars disposed transversely upon and fixedly secured to said runner members, and horizontally disposed side and end rails disposed below and in vertically spaced relation to said top end and side members, saidside and end rails having curvedly merging end portions constituting rack corner guards.

5. A rack comprising laterally spaced outer and intermediate longitudinal base bars constituting runner members and having upwardly projecting outwardly inclined end members, end cross members connecting the upper ends of said runner member end members, top side members disposed in vertically andoutwardlyspaced relation to the outer of said runner members and having downwardly offset base cross bars disposed upon and fixedly secured to said runner members at the inner side of and adjacent to said upturned ends thereof, intermediate cross bars disposed in laterally spaced relation upon and fixedly connected to said runner members and having upturned ends fixedly secured to said top side members, and horizontally disposed side and end rails disposed belowfand in vertically spaced relation to said top end and side members and having upwardly projecting outwardly inclined end members, end cross members connecting the upper ends of said runner member end members, top side members disposed in vertically and outwardly spaced relation to the outer of said runner members and having downwardly offset base cross bars disposed upon and fixedly secured to said runner'members at the inner side of and. adjacent to said upturned ends thereof, intermediate cross bars disposed in laterally spaced relation upon and fixedly connected to said runner members and having upturned ends fixedly secured to said top side members, grid bars disposed transversely upon and fixedly secured to said runner members, and horizontally disposed side and end rails disposed below and in vertically spacedrelation to said top eudand side members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 177,571 Karoff May 1, 1956 813,499 Johnson Feb. '27, 1906 1,252,740 Thornblade Jan. 8, 1918 1,947,932 Fante Feb. 20, 1934 2,257,192 Romney Sept. 30, 1941 2,581,613 Ullrich Jan. 8, 1952 

